Portable apparatus for applying acoustic materials



P. J. MORRA ET AL June 25, 1968 PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ACOUSTIC MATERIALS Filed July INVENTORS PETER J. MORRA LEROY 2 WEST ToimEY United States Patent 3,389,838 PORTABLE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ACOUSTIC MATERIALS Peter J. Morra, 3393 Wheeling Drive, Santa Clara, Calif. 95051, and Le Roy D. West, 945 Cottonwood Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95129 Filed July 20, 1967, Ser. No. 654,769 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-193) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Portable gun for applying acoustic materials to ceilings, textured walls, and other surfaces. Uses a cylindrical container with disposal bag and ratchet-operated piston for pushing the contents to be sprayed through a nozzle. The eflluent material is mixed in the nozzle with the gas and converted therein to a viscosity and consistency primarily adapted to be applied to a surface to increase its soundabsorbing properties.

In recent years, it has become very commonplace to coat ceilings of apartments and individual residences with a rough-textured, sound-absorbing material to reduce the noise level in the rooms. Normally this coating is applied when the apartment or residence is built. Professional applicators use large, complex, and bulky spraying equipment to make the application. This equipment requires a large container filled with the material to be sprayed. The container Weighs in excess of 500 pounds and includes a motor driven pump for removing the substance to be sprayed from a tank. Attached to the tank is a long hose, for example 100 feet or more, at the end of which is a spraying nozzle. The unit also contains a compressor, normally located adjacent the pump containing the material to be sprayed. The compressor provides. the air supply necessary for spraying.

It is impossible to bring the large tank, pump, and compressor apparatus into the apartment or home since the unitis too bulky to get through the doorway. Therefore, two long hoses, one for the material to be sprayed and the other for the compressed air, are brought into the room to be sprayed and are connected to the bulky equipment located outside the building. It has been found, however, that 200 feet is the maximum length of hose which may be employed. Longer hoses result in clogging as there is normally insufficient pressure to pump the material through a hose longer than 200 feet. Even for 200 feet of hose line, exceedingly large and costly equipment is required, for example in the neighborhood of $10,000.00. The least expensive equipment presently available is in excess of $2,- 000.00 and will not operate at a distance much over 100 feet.

Even the most complex costly equipment is now being found insuflicient in large apartment buildings because of the above hose length limitations. Accordingly, it is necessary to develop a portable, inexpensive apparatus for applying the acoustic material. The portable apparatus of the subject invention is the first equipment of its kind. It can be manufactured and sold complete, including compressor, for less than $75.00. As such, it is obtaining wide acceptance.

Briefly, the portable apparatus for applying acoustic materials to surfaces of this invention comprises: a portable container for holding the material, the container having an exit port for the outflow of eflluent material and an entrance port adapted to be connected to a source of gas. The entrance port and exit port are constructed to enable the gas to mix with the eflluent material. A manually operated piston is used for reducing the volume of the container, thereby forcing the efiluent material admixed with 3,389,838 Patented June 25, 1968 "ice the gas through the exit port. The efiluent material is converted by the apparatus into a viscosity in consistency primarily adapted to be applied to a surface to increase its sound-absorbing properties.

The invention will be more clearly understood in detail from the following description, making reference to the single figure, showing a side elevation view, partially in section, of the portable apparatus of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the main container 10 is adapted for holding the acoustic material. These acoustic materials are well known in the art and are used for deadening the sound reflection of a surface, particularly the ceiling of a room. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the container contains a disposable and collapsible bag 11' which contains the material to be sprayed. This bag may be inserted into container 10 from the front. The latched cover means 12 of container 10 may be removed by lifting latches 13 and 14 to release pins 15 and 16 from U-shaped catch members 17 and 18, respectively.

When the latched cover 12 is removed from container 10, a full bag 11 of acoustic material may be inserted readily into the container 10. Similarly, the empty bag may be removed after its contents have been expended.

The opposite end of container 10 is sealed with a cover 19 secured to container 10 by means of screws 20 and 21. Cover 19 has a hole 22 in it through which piston 23 is inserted. Piston 23 includes the operating end 24 having a shape on its forward surface adapted for compressing bag 11, as shown. Piston rod 25 of piston 23 is screwed into the operating end 24 with threads 26, illustrated. The piston is pulled to its right-most position by grip 27. It is moved to its left-most position, for the purpose of emptying the contents of bag 11 into spray head 23 by means of a ratchet handle 28. Ratchet handle 28 has a ratchet means 29 which engage the notches 30 of piston rod 25. When the two parts of 28 are manually squeezed, ratchet means 29 are forced against the edges of notches 30, thereby forcing piston 23 to the left further into cylinder 10. This action forces the contents 31 of bag 11 out through neck 32 into spray head 33. As the piston moves further into container 10, the volume of the container is proportionatelyreduced. Spray head 33 is screwed onto the end 12 of cylinder 10 by means of threads 34. Head 33 has a portion 34 forming an exit port screwed onto its main frame 35 by means of threads 36. Air is injected into head 33 by means of connecting a hose (not shown) to an entrance port, or nozzle 37. This air is forced through nozzle 37 into tube 38 and finally into mixing chamber 39. In mixing chamber 39, the efiluent material from container 10 is admixed with the gas entering through nozzle 37. The mixed material is forced out of head 33 through exit port 40. The elfiuent material flowing from exit port 40 has been converted by the apparatus into a viscosity and consistency primarily adapted to be applied to a surface to increase its soundabsorbing properties.

The hose attached to nozzle 37 is not shown. Such a hose is well known in the art, and normally has its other end connected to a small portable compressor which is readily carried into the room to which the acoustic material is to be applied.

The operation of the apparatus of this invention is quite simple. A right-handed user merely grips the bandle 41 with his left hand and ratchet handle 28 with his right hand. Handle 41 'is connected to cylinder 10 by means of clamp 42 and screw means 43. Screw means 43 can be loosened to adjust the angle of handle 41 with respect to cylinder 10 to modify the spraying angle.

Initially, the compressor (not shown) is turned on, forcing air into nozzle 37, through tube 38, and out through exit port 40. The user merely points the exit port 40 of nozzle 33 to the area requiring the application of acoustic material. He can aim the nozzle with his left hand which is gripping handle 41. Once properly pointed, the user squeezes ratchet handle 28, forcing piston 23 into container 10. This forces material 31 through neck 32, and into the mixing area 39. In mixing area 39, the effluent material is admixed with the gas flowing through tube 38 and is sprayed onto the area to be coated. As the spray becomes too thin, the user again squeezes ratchet handle 28 with his right hand to move piston 23 to force additional material through the apparatus.

When the entire contents of a bag 11 have been expended, the user merely removes head 12 using latches 13 and 14 and removes the empty bag. At the same time, he reinserts a new bag full of new material. The entire operation of replacing a bag can be done in less than one minute. The user is then again ready for continued application of the acoustic material.

As can be readily seen from the above description, the invention provides a portable, simple, easily useable apparatus for applying acoustic material. The entire unit weighs only a few pounds and requires only a small, portable compressor. Both compressor and the apparatus described above are brought into the room to be coated. Accordingly, only a short hose line is required, substantially reducing the danger of clogging and the loss of air pressure. The ratchet action of this portable unit is designed to allow the operator to have complete control of the material. Since the larger units of the prior art must be under constant pressure, the operator must have a considerable amount of training in order to operate them with the unit of this invention, as the operator releases the ratchet handle, the material is stopped immediately, allowing the operator to check his work, and, if necessary, to add a suflicient amount of additional material without adding an excess. The pressure behind the material is only the pressure of the head-controlled ratchet, not a large power-controlled pressure supply. The entire unit, including the compressor, can be manufactured and sold at a price an order of magnitude less than the price of units of the prior art. The invention makes it possible for do-it-yourselfers" to coat their own ceilings with minimum instructions and no previous experience. It was previously necessary to call in a costly contracting service to install an acoustic ceiling. The unit may be rented or loaned free with the purchase of the acoustic material.

The above description and drawing describe and show only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than as expressly set forth in the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. Portable apparatus for applying acoustic materials to surfaces comprising:

a portable container for holding material, said container having an exit port for the outflow of efiluent material and an entrance port adapted to beconnected to a source of gas, said entrance port and exit ports being constructed to enable said gas to mix with said effluent material; and

a manually operated piston means for reducing the volume of said container, thereby forcing the efiluent material admixed with gas through said exit port, said etfiuent material having been converted by said apparatus into a viscosity and consistency primarily adapted to be applied to a surface to increaseits sound-absorbing properties.

2. The portable apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said container being adapted to hold a collapsible bag containing said material, the manully operated piston means being adapted to collapse said bag, thereby forcing said material out of said bag through said exit port.

3. The portable apparatus of claim 2 further characterized by said portable container including a clos'able opening for inserting said collapsible bag filled with material and for removing said bag when it has been emptied of said material, and a latched cover means for holding said opening closed.

4. The portable apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said piston means including a ratchet handle having a ratchet means engaging said piston, whereby the squeezing of said ratchet handle causes said piston means to reduce the volume of said container.

5. The portable apparatus of claim 4 further characterized by the addition of a second handle on the opposite side of said container from said ratchet handle, said ratchet handle and said second handle being disposed, relative to each other, to be gripped by the opposite hands of the user.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,578,944 3/1926 Wilkinson 222-493 2,341,036 2/1944 Guibert 222193 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,127,069 8/1956 France.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. HADD S. LANE, Assistant Examiner. 

